A sobering thought.....

I have so much on my heart today, the BIGGEST of which are these verses in 1 Corinthians 3:10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

These verses are scary to me, as a minister. Now obviously the foundation being built on here is Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen again. THAT is the foundation...the true foundation and there is no other.
Verse 12 tells me that I, as a preacher, can build on that foundation in whatever way I feel is right. I can build on that foundation using the old red back hymnal, convention songs, or the most up to date worship songs. I can build on that foundation using a King James bible, a New Living Translation bible, or The Message bible. I can build on it using Sunday school or cell groups, in a building or in a tent. I can use the same methods employed years and years ago or I can shake it all up. I can build on this foundation of Christ using home church, store front church, regular church buildings, or church in an arena. God leaves that up to us. And it DOES have a sense of excitement to it! It makes me feel good to know that I can build on this firm foundation through whatever mode I deem necessary! If I feel like I need to go stand in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot in Glennville, Ga and preach Christ, I can! If I want to teach teenagers about the ride called the Christian life by taking them to Six Flags to ride coasters, I can! Actually, that sounds like a cool idea.... 

Anyways, the point is, God leaves it up to the minister how he/she will bring the Gospel to a dying world. And honestly, I wish that was where Paul stopped on this. But he does not. He goes on to say that come judgement day, EVERYTHING I have built on that foundation will be tried by fire. If it makes it through the fire then Glory to the Lord! Rewards all around!! YAAAAY! BUT, (and I cannot stand that word sometimes) if the work on that foundation is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. Obviously, I will be judged according to whether or not the "methods" I chose to bring the Gospel worked or not. I myself will be saved....but barely. And what of the people that I brought the gospel to in the "method" I thought was right?? Will they be burned up? Will they make it? Will there be rewards or will there be judgement? The fire WILL show if the work has any value. Will I have blood on my hands? Wow. That is a really sobering thought. Is what I am doing for the kingdom going to show any value come judgement day? Sobering indeed.


So in this age of almost anything goes.....are we really building His kingdom or just our ubber big egos?!?!


Sober up!

HOLD ON!

So I know it's been awhile since I posted anything but things have been really really quiet in the prayer chamber and in studying God's Word! That is until this morning! I have been so desperate to see God's glory and it seems He has had me on this looooooooooooooong road of repentance. But then, His Word bears it out that if we repent, He answers. If we get low, He drops His glory down! Well, this morning was awesome! I began, like usual, with worship and then I began to try and pray but I felt God hush my spirit. (I am crying right now as I type!) It's really been a long time since He spoke as clearly as this morning. Don't get me wrong... I hear His voice...everyday that I open His Word He is speaking! But today was one of those intense moments that only comes from times of fasting and prayer! Tears began to stream down my face as God began show me some things. I am not going to go into what He showed first because it has something to do personally with a dear friend of mine. But suffice it to say it was SO powerful and real and went right along with something God had shown her Monday night in her sleep! That's how God works!
Ok, soon to the second thing HE showed me....

I saw old roots...huge ones...old ones...

They were attached to something. I am not quite sure to what or to whom but they were beginning to crumble! As the Word of ALMIGHTY GOD was going forth I saw them began to snap into and lose their grip. The began to disintegrate and were even pulled by an unseen force AWAY from what that had been rooted to. Old, dry, black and brown powder went everywhere because these roots were apparently dry rotted. They didnt shrivel and gradually fade away . They were snapped and became NOTHING as the Word went forth!

At first I marveled at how it WAS NOT a gradual release but an instantaneous deliverance.

But I began to sense that there HAS been a gradual release that has been unseen. Prayers have gone up that people have though again and again have been for nothing. God's people have felt these prayers that have gone up have not made headway. But His Word says that the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous avails MUCH! These prayers have caused these roots to dry rot! The roots have gradually lost their power and have become weaker instead of stronger. They have grown dry and are not capable of sprouting new growth. And BECAUSE of the prayers of the righteous, there is about to come an instantaneous deliverance as these roots completely lose their hold!

So people of God, I just want to say to you that if there is something you have prayed on for years....if there is something you have nearly lost hope on....God wants you to know your prayers ARE making an extreme amount of headway! There are things going on in the spirit realm that you and I can neither see nor completely understand. Just because you have yet to see a difference in the fleshly world , does NOT mean things are not happening! Your righteous, unselfish prayers are causing long standing roots to become dry rotted and if you will just hold on, you will see an instantaneous deliverance that will obliterate the enemies strong holds!  SO HOLD ON!!!!!